Bastar Heritage Trail

Celebrated for over 75 days, Bastar Dussehra is one of the longest festivals in the world. It is a pompous get-together of the local deities, with no linkage to the epic Ramayana. On Hareli Amavasya every year, the first ritual of Bastar Dussehra is celebrated, called Paat Jatra. A dense wooden log of Sal tree, brought from the forests near Kanger Valley National Park, is revered by the people on this day. That log is called Turlu Khotla. Sacrificial ceremonies are conducted to appease the spirits and local deities. This Heritage Walk is meant to introduce the participants with the many rituals of Bastar Dussehra and the linkage of tribal culture with the royal dynasty of Eastern Chalukyas.